The Lotus Emeya Will Knock Your 60 MPH Socks Off in Under 2.8 Seconds

British sports car marque Lotus is back at it again with an all-new, all-electric grand touring car– the Emeya, claimed specifically as the brand’s first “hyper-GT.”

Those words may invoke imagery of a sweptback sports coupe with barely enough room for date night, but the Emeya is actually a four-door model with vacancy for a matching number of occupants. Lotus says this new entry combines “the company’s 75-year expertise in engineering and design… bringing drivers an electric car that is exciting to drive and performs exceptionally.”

Electric propulsion isn’t an entirely new realm for the automaker, as Lotus has already submerged into the EV pool with the Eletre and Evija, and the Emeya serves as another stepping stone towards their goal of becoming a global performance brand by 2028. And, at least on paper, “perform” it does, the dual-motors pushing up to 905 horsepower and 727 lb-ft of torque to a top speed of 159 mph and a 0-62 mph time under 2.8 seconds. If the previous description didn’t give it away, the Emeya will undoubtedly compete with the likes of the Porsche Taycan, which, if configured in the near-top Turbo S variant, can finish a 0-60 sprint in 2.6 seconds with 750 horsepower on tap.

Other performance specs include a fast charging system, capable of utilizing 350 kW DC fast chargers to add 93 miles of range in roughly five minutes, going on to achieve 80-percent capacity in 18 minutes. Of course, total range is yet to be disclosed, be it a Lotus estimate or an official EPA number. If it wants to compete with the Taycan, it’ll need to hover around 270 miles at least, though more is always better.

And fortunately, there is a lot more to the Emeya than just fast-sounding numbers. This hyper-GT comes standard with an electronically controlled air suspension system, adjusting with every bump and bruise in the road. Lotus claims various other active aerodynamic elements come into play, including a “pioneering active front grille, rear diffuser and rear spoiler.” And partially, if not mostly due to a battery-electric’s inherent design, the Emeya has a lower center of gravity than your typical internal-combustion cruiser.

Speaking of, cruising the streets in your Emeya shouldn’t be much of a chore thanks to the cabin, which uses sustainable materials to reduce its carbon footprint. Aside from the Alcantara and Nappa leather upholstery used throughout, digital real estate is in abundance. A large, horizontal screen rests above the center console, joined by a slimmer driver’s instrument cluster behind the wheel. We spot some physical controls down below, and a small display on the passenger dash displaying the date and time. Lotus boasted the specially developed audio system made in conjunction with KEF, featuring Dolby Atmos-enabled 3D surround sound– similar to the system in the Eletre. Shouldn’t be an issue hearing your favorite tunes with the expectedly quiet ride, an interesting dichotomy as the pedal-down experience will surely force you back into your bucket seats.

Production of the Emeya is expected to begin in 2024, and we’ll have more information later this year.